Getty Conservation Institute facts for kids

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) is a special place in Los Angeles, California. It's part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which is a big organization that supports art and culture. The GCI started in 1985. Its main goal is to help protect and save important artworks, buildings, and historical sites around the world. They do this by doing scientific research, teaching people, working on real-life projects, and sharing what they learn. The GCI focuses on saving both art and buildings. They believe in helping others, sharing knowledge, and making sure everyone can learn about and enjoy our shared history.

Discovering Secrets with Science

Scientists at the GCI study why old objects and buildings get damaged. They also figure out how to stop this damage. They often work on things that haven't been studied much or don't have a lot of money for protection. For example, they looked at how air pollution, both outside and inside, affects museum collections. They also studied why the sandstone columns from the old U.S. Capitol building were falling apart. These columns are now at the United States National Arboretum.

Uncovering Art's Ingredients

GCI scientists also study what materials old artworks are made of. For instance, they have a project about saving old photographs. One part of this project is creating an "Atlas of Analytical Signatures of Photographic Processes." This atlas will be like a chemical fingerprint for all the different ways photos have been made. As part of this, Getty scientists even examined the world's first photograph taken from nature by Nicéphore Niépce. Using special tools like X-ray fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy, they found that a material called bitumen of Judea was used in the picture.

Mars Tech for Ancient Art

Scientists at GCI saw how the CheMin instrument on the Curiosity rover was exploring Mars. They thought it could be a great way to study ancient art without hurting it. Before, you often had to cut off tiny pieces of art to find out what it was made of. The CheMin instrument uses X-rays to look at tiny particles and figure out their makeup in minutes. Engineers then made a smaller, portable version called the X-Duetto. It fits into a few briefcase-sized boxes. This means scientists can now study objects right where they are, like Roman ruins in Herculaneum, Italy, without moving or damaging them.

Protecting Collections from the Environment

The GCI also studies how the environment affects old objects. This is part of their Managing Collection Environments Initiative. They look at how climate control systems work and how much pollution is in the air. Then, they create guides for museums, libraries, and archives to help them keep their collections safe in a sustainable way.

Advanced Tools for Art Analysis

GCI uses advanced scientific tools to understand artworks and historical objects. They use methods like infrared reflectography, ultraviolet light (UV), CT scanners, and mass spectrometers. These tools help them identify materials, understand how things are decaying, and even check if an object is real. For example, they used FTIR and raman spectroscopy to identify a red paint on an ancient Egyptian Mummy named Herakleides.

Saving Outdoor Sculptures and Modern Art

The GCI also works on saving outdoor sculptures, which face tough weather and pollution. They develop special coatings, cleaning methods, and ways to maintain these sculptures. They also study modern paints and plastics.

For example, they studied Jackson Pollock's famous painting "Mural." Many people thought he painted it all in one night. But GCI scientists found that each layer of paint needed many days to dry. They identified over 25 different paints, including house paint! After their work, the painting was carefully cleaned and fixed.

GCI's knowledge of modern paints also helped save Willem de Kooning's painting "Woman-Ochre." This painting was stolen from the University of Arizona Museum of Art in 1985. The thieves cut the canvas and tried to fix it themselves, causing more damage. GCI experts carefully repaired the painting, filling cracks and removing old varnish to bring it closer to its original look.

Strengthening Ancient Buildings

Through their Earthen Architecture Initiative, the GCI helps make old buildings made of earth stronger against earthquakes. They study how these buildings might break and test ways to make them safer. They also provide guides for protecting historic buildings from earthquakes. For example, they worked on the Church of Kuñotambo in Peru, using local materials and skills to save the historic building.

Mapping Los Angeles History

GCI also helped create Historic Places LA, an online map of important sites in Los Angeles. This includes modern buildings and places important to history and culture. In 2020, they started a project to find and celebrate African American historic places in Los Angeles. They are working to protect these sites and offer internships and community programs.

Learning and Sharing Knowledge

Teaching people around the world is a big part of GCI's work. This helps ensure that conservation efforts continue long after GCI's direct involvement.

Training Conservation Experts

The GCI offers courses, workshops, and seminars for people who work in conservation. These programs cover many topics, like how to handle materials, prevent damage, manage historical sites, and use sustainable practices. For example, they helped create a course to teach museum staff how to protect their collections during emergencies. They also developed a course on saving photographs, which is now taught in Eastern Europe. GCI has even helped create a Master's degree program in Conservation of Cultural Heritage with the University of California, Los Angeles.

Welcoming Scholars

The GCI also invites Conservation Guest Scholars to stay for a few months. These experts work on their own projects and share new ideas. They use Getty's resources and work with other scholars and interns.

Free Resources for Everyone

The GCI creates many online resources and publications that help advance conservation. These include reports and guides that are free to access on the Getty website. They also have AATA Online, a free database of articles about saving cultural heritage.

Real-World Projects Around the Globe

GCI chooses its field projects carefully. They want projects that raise public awareness, provide new information, and support cultural heritage. They always work with local partners to make sure the projects continue even after GCI leaves.

Saving Ancient Wonders

Some of GCI's past projects include preserving wall paintings in the Mogao Caves and Yungang Grottoes in China. They also helped restore prehistoric Rock Paintings of Sierra de San Francisco in Baja California Sur, Mexico. After the Iraq War started in 2004, they worked to protect ancient buildings and archaeological sites in Iraq.

Protecting Tutankhamun's Tomb

From 2009 to 2019, the GCI helped save the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt. They focused on the tomb's wall paintings, which had mysterious brown spots. Using DNA tests and chemical analysis, they found the spots were no longer a threat. They couldn't remove them because they were deep in the paint. The team also added an air filtration system and improved the tomb's walkways to protect the paintings while still allowing visitors.

Conserving Modern Buildings

The GCI also works on saving modern buildings. In 2012, they launched the Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative. Many buildings from the 20th century, especially after World War II, are starting to need major repairs. GCI researches modern materials and shares this information. They also train conservators and architects, and work on international and local projects.

For example, GCI worked with the Eames Foundation to create a plan for the Eames House. This famous house was built in 1949. The project involved studying the modern materials used in the house. They then removed asbestos, added moisture barriers, and set up monitoring systems to protect it for the future.

GCI also partnered with the Salk Institute to fix its concrete, glass, and teak wood windows. The salty air from the ocean had damaged these modern materials. After three years of study, they began restoring the windows, which had been affected by fungi and insects.

The GCI also worked with the Getty Foundation, ICCROM, and ICCM on the MOSAIKON initiative. This program trains conservators in the southeastern Mediterranean region to care for ancient mosaics.

Sharing What They Learn

One of the most important things GCI does is share the information and methods they learn. They do this through conferences, lectures, books, online publications, videos, and audio.

Here are a few examples of books published by GCI:

• Ward, Philip R. The nature of conservation: a race against time. Marina del Rey, CA: Getty Conservation Institute, 1986. ISBN: 0-941103-00-5
• Dorge, Valerie, and Sharon L. Jones. Building an emergency plan: a guide for museums and other cultural institutions. Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute, 1999. ISBN: 0892365293
• Lavédrine, Bertrand, Jean-Paul Gandolfo, and Sibylle Monod. A guide to the preventive conservation of photograph collections. Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute, 2003. ISBN: 0-89236-701-6

Here are some courses offered by GCI:

• ARIS (International Course on Architectural Records, Inventories and Information Systems for Conservation)
• International Course on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture

Who Leads the GCI

Since it started, the GCI has had three directors. The current director is Timothy P. Whalen. The GCI also has other important leaders, like the Head of Science and the Head of Buildings and Sites.

Getty's Other Conservation Work

Besides the GCI, the J. Paul Getty Trust helps with conservation in other ways. The J. Paul Getty Museum has its own conservation teams. The library at the Getty Research Institute has a large collection of books and resources about conservation. And the Getty Foundation gives grants (money) to support conservation projects.